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INTERIM REPORT
TO
THE NEW ENGLAND COMMISSION
OF HIGHER EDUCATION

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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
INSTITUTIONAL OVERVIEW
RESPONSE TO NECHE AREA IDENTIFIED FOR SPECIAL EMPHASIS: GOVERNANCE
RESPONSE TO NECHE AREA IDENTIFIED FOR SPECIAL EMPHASIS: ADA COMPLIANCE
STANDARD ONE: MISSION AND PURPOSES
STANDARD TWO: PLANNING AND EVALUATION
STANDARD THREE: ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNANCE
STANDARD FOUR: THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM
STANDARD FIVE: STUDENTS
STANDARD SIX: TEACHING, LEARNING, AND SCHOLARSHIP
STANDARD SEVEN: INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES
STANDARD EIGHT: EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

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STANDARD NINE: INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
INSTITUTIONAL PLANS

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APPENDIX A – AFFIRMATION OF TITLE IX COMPLIANCE

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APPENDIX B – MOST RECENT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

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APPENDIX C – AUDITOR’S MANAGEMENT LETTER
APPENDIX D – E SERIES

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APPENDIX E – ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
APPENDIX F – 2018-21 STRATEGIC PLAN

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APPENDIX G – STRATEGIC METRICS DASHBOARD
APPENDIX H – ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW TEMPLATE
APPENDIX I – SCHEDULE OF ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEWS
APPENDIX J – ANNUAL ACADEMIC PROGRAM REPORT


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INTRODUCTION
Community College of Rhode Island is pleased to submit a five-year interim report to the New England
Commission on Higher Education, Inc. in response to the Commission’s December 2, 2014 and July 11,
2017 letters following the college’s 2014 self-study report and 2016 progress report on assessing student
learning outcomes for continuous improvement, respectively. Preparation of this interim report was
guided by the leadership of Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Rosemary Costigan, and the Director
of Institutional Research and Assessment, Rajiv Malhotra who co-chaired the 2018 NECHE Effectiveness
team.
NECHE EFFECTIVENESS TEAM CO-CHAIRS:
Rosemary Costigan, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Rajiv Malhotra, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment

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NECHE EFFECTIVENESS TEAM SUB COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND MEMBERS
Standard 1:

Rosemary Costigan, Vice President for Academic Affairs (Lead)
Elizabeth Canning, J.D., Associate V.P. for Equity & Human Resources (Member)
Maya Geraldo, Executive Assistant to Vice President for Academic Affairs (Member)

Deborah Zielinski, Assistant to the President (Member)
Ellen Schulte, Senior Admissions Recruiter (Member)

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Standard 2:

Gregory LaPointe, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives (Lead)

Standard 3:

Alix Ogden, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives (Lead)
Ronald Cavallaro, General Counsel (Member)
Lizzie Pollock, Project Director (Member)

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Standard 4:

Thomas Sabbagh, Dean of Business, Science, Technology and Math (Lead)
Jeanne McColl, Assistant Dean of Nursing (Lead)
Karen Kortz, Professor of Physics (Member)
Kimberly Rouillier, Department Chair of Rehabilitative Health (Member)
Jason Stockford, Assistant Professor of Mathematics (Member)
Lauren Webb, Assistant Dean of Business, Science, Technology, and Math (Member)

Standard 5:

Sara Enright, Vice President for Student Affairs (Lead)
Michael Cunningham, Dean of Students (Lead)
Eileen James, Assistant Professor of English (Member)
Julie Galleshaw, Professor of Dental Health/Hygiene (Member)
Robert Cipolla, Dean of Student Dev/Assessment (Member)

Standard 6:

Ruth Sullivan, Dean of Learning Resources, (Lead)
Karen Bellnier, Director of Instructional Technology and Online Learning (Lead)
Candace Grist, Associate Professor of Administrative Office Technology (Member)
Cheri Markward, Department Chair of Performing Arts (Member)
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Standard 7:

Pam Christman, Director of IT Customer Support and Quality Assurance (Lead)
Ruth Barrington, Business Manager (Lead)
Sheri Norton, Director of Human Resources (Member)
David Rawlinson, Controller (Member)
Cathy Poirier, Interim Department Chair of Library (Member)
Kenneth McCabe, Director of Facilities, Management and Engineering (Member)

Standard 8:

Rajiv Malhotra, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment (Lead)
Alan Whitcomb, Director of Academic Program Review and Accreditation (Lead)
Stephanie Cabral, Coordinator of Academic Initiatives and Operations (Member)
Philip Gordon, Coordinator of Institutional Research and Assessment (Member)
April Roberts, Coordinator of Institutional Research and Assessment (Member)

Standard 9:

Melissa Fama, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (Lead)
Erin Olson, Interim Director of Marketing and Communications (Member)
Sean Collins, Acting Director of Security and Safety (Member)
James Kirby, Manager of Internet Technology (Member)
Leslie Killgore, Department Chair of Social Sciences (Member)

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INSTITUTIONAL OVERVIEW

The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is a public, open enrollment institution with a total
student population of nearly 15,000. The institution offers 33 associate degrees programs with 43
concentration options as well as 42 certificate programs to prepare students for skilled jobs in southeastern
New England and/or for transfer into baccalaureate degree programs. As the only community college in
the state, CCRI serves as the gateway to higher education and workforce training for thousands of Rhode
Islanders via four distinct campuses located in different parts of the state.
The Knight Campus in Warwick, centrally located in the middle of the state and easily accessible via
Interstate 95, is the largest and oldest of the four campuses. The college administrative team, including
the president, vice presidents and all deans, is located on the Knight Campus. The Flanagan Campus in
Lincoln, located in the northwest corner of the state, is the second largest campus. The Newport County
Campus opened in 2005 across from an active U.S. Naval Base. The Liston Campus in Providence is the
second smallest campus and is located in the heart of the city. Most of the college’s academic programs
are offered at each campus, while the Flanagan Campus offers the majority of the programs in health
sciences.

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During the fall semester 2018, 14,539 students attended the college, representing FTE of 9,513. A little
more than half of the students enrolled at the college were under the age of 24 (62%). Sixty percent attend
part-time and 40% full-time. The total minority population was 40%; and 58% of the student population
were women. The majority of students were from Rhode Island (96%). Although there have been changes
in enrollment, student demographics have been consisted over the past five years.


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RESPONSE TO AREAS IDENTIFIED FOR SPECIAL EMPHASIS

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In its letter of December 2, 2014, the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education specified that CCRI
give emphasis to its success in each of the three areas below. To not disrupt the flow of the Reflective
Essay on Educational Effectiveness, the college provides its response to a comprehensive approach to
assessment and use of results for improvement in Standard Eight. The institution’s responses to the other
two areas are listed below.

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1. Addressing ADA compliance issues identified in the College’s Master Plan, with attention to
considerations regarding space and staffing to meet the needs of students who require special
accommodations.
2. Evaluating the impact of changes in Rhode Island’s governance of public higher education on the

College.
3. Continuing to implement a comprehensive approach to the assessment of student learning and
using the results for improvement.
AREA OF EMPHASIS 1 RESPONSE: ADA COMPLIANCE
During the past four years, the college has made significant enhancements to improve access for and
success of students with disabilities. To increase the amount of support available to students with
disabilities, one part-time and three full-time campus coordinators were added to the Disability Services
for Students department staff. There are full-time coordinators at the Knight, Flanagan, and Liston
campuses to provide intake services, coordinate accommodations requests, and provide informal, but
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crucial advisement to students navigating their academic and social experiences at the college. A parttime coordinator serves in this role for credit-carrying students at the Newport County Campus, along
with a part-time staff member to address accommodation needs of students taking non-credit courses.
Additional instructional staff have been hired this academic year to provide proctoring services for evening
classes. The full-time director of disability services for students has a small caseload of students to afford
time to coordinate the overall services, awareness, and assessment efforts of the department.
Following the 2014 self-study, the college conducted an ADA assessment of the physical structure of all
four campuses. As a result, the college also invested in capital improvements to increase accessibility,
primarily on the Knight and Flanagan campuses. Examples include the following: the relocation of
Flanagan Disability Services for Students to provide a larger testing area and increased office space; the
renovation of the large three-section Flanagan Campus lecture hall, which includes significant investments
to ensure ADA compliance ($324,553); the installation of hand railings throughout the Knight
($1,283,000) and Flanagan campuses ($572,750); new call buttons for the Knight Campus elevators
($8,000); and the installation of push-button doors for the Knight Campus connecting vestibules
($157,815). The college is in the preliminary phase of developing plans to rebuild the main entry ramp to
the Knight Campus to comply with ADA standards.


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In Spring 2018, CCRI become one of the first schools to implement the Ally tool within Blackboard Learn.
This tool alerts faculty to accessibility concerns for uploaded documents and provides detailed guidance
to address issues. It also creates alternative formats for students, including .epub, .html, electronic Braille,
and audio formats. This alone raises the overall accessibility of the college’s online materials by 6% since
implementation. The Center for Instruction & Technology and Academic Affairs co-presented several
workshops demonstrating the tool and discussing the shared institutional responsibility for accessibility.
Up-to-date instructional documentation is provided for faculty to help improve the accessibility of any
document. Additional focus on access to assistive technologies have led to purchasing a site license for
Kurzweil 3000 for any student to access independent of Disability Services for Students. Academic
computer labs have stations equipped with assistive software and a kit with assistive hardware. The
students staffing those spaces can provide support. The CCRI website is built using a content management
system with a built-in accessibility checker. Regular reviews of pages are conducted with reports going to
page managers to alert them to accessibility concerns.

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To provide a better and more efficient experience for students, the Disability Services for Students
department purchased the Symplicity Accommodate software. This software will provide a
comprehensive, accessible and efficient system for storing student data and providing services for
students. Students and faculty will utilize an electronic records system which will improve the timeliness
and accuracy of the administration of accommodations.
The Disabilities Services for Students department has resurrected a semester-long learning community
course for faculty and staff called A-TASC FORCE (Accessibility Training Awareness and Sensitivity
Course Focusing on Resources and Cultural Education). The learning objective for the course is to create
a better understanding of the needs of students with disabilities, ways to serve them and to develop an
appreciation for these students’ contributions to college diversity. Faculty and staff members work both
independently in online modules and at in-person seminars to design programs and curricula that are more
inclusive and accessible. Topics include online accessibility, the nature of disabilities, learning
differences, and Universal Design. The program uses a cohort model so real-life experiences and
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challenges can be shared among participants. Practical solutions are developed and shared, but improving

awareness and understanding are the core of the outcomes. In the fall of 2018, the fifth cohort of this
learning community began. Thirty-two faculty and staff members have completed this course since the
course restart in fall, 2016.
AREA OF EMPHASIS 2 RESPONSE: IMPACT OF STATE GOVERNANCE ON PUBLIC
HIGHER EDUCATION
Through legislative amendments to Rhode Island General Laws, the college’s governing board, the Board
of Governors for Higher Education, ceased to exist on January 1, 2013 and a new governing board, the
Rhode Island Board of Education (BOE), was established. The BOE had supervisory responsibility over
elementary and secondary education as well as public higher education within the state. In July 2014, the
former BOE was replaced with a new entity of the same name. The new BOE consists of the membership
of two councils, the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education (CESE) and the Council on
Postsecondary Education (CPE), and has a coordinating role as it relates to higher education.

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The CPE was granted the powers and responsibilities previously held by the Board of Governors for
Higher Education, placing the council on the same level as its predecessor oversight committee. Main
functions of the CPE include, but are not limited to: the power to hire and dismiss college presidents of
the three public higher education institutions, approve the appointment of vice presidents, and approve
collective bargaining agreements for all unionized higher education employees. The reorganized
governing board has provided more clarity, improved oversight, and increased collaboration between the
college and the board than had previously existed under the former structure.

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The CPE meets each month, except in August. Agendas are provided well in advance and include reports
by the BOE chairperson, CPE, and all three public college presidents. All meetings are open to the public
and subject to the state’s public meetings laws. In addition, each president updates the chair of the CPE
on important matters on an as-needed basis. The committee has been supportive of the college’s mission,
leadership, and strategic plan.

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The Council for Postsecondary Education provides an annual review of the president, which begins with
a management letter from the president. CCRI President Meghan Hughes was recently re-appointed for a
three-year term, with six months remaining on her first term. The day-to-day administration of the colleges
and universities is vested in the respective president of each institution. Issues such as approving tuition
and fees and/or matters involving property, labor negotiations, awarding of tenure, and new programs that
are outside of the approved role and scope of the institutions are approved by the CPE.

In April 2017, Brenda Dann-Messier, Ed.D., was appointed Interim Commissioner of Postsecondary
Education. Following a nation-wide search for a permanent commissioner, Dr. Dann-Messier was
confirmed as Commissioner of Postsecondary Education in August 2017. In addition to the appointment
of a new commissioner for higher education, long-time Chair William Foulkes resigned his position due
to family commitments and his relocation to another state. Mr. Foulkes was a strong supporter of the
college and its leadership team. Due to the stability of the committee, a transition plan was mobilized with
ease. Mr. Timothy Delguidice was appointed Chair in June 2018 and has continued the leadership style
and support of his predecessor. As part of the transition plan, all new CPE members have been invited to
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the college in order to become familiar with its operations, mission and strategic goals. This strategy has
proven beneficial both for members of the CPE and the college community.
With the arrival of a new CPE chairperson and a new commissioner, there have been some organizational
changes to the Office of Postsecondary Commissioner that are intended to facilitate better communication,
organization, and policy for the system. Last May, Dr. Paula Szulc was appointed Associate
Commissioner for Student Success-Chief Outcomes Officer. Dr. Szulc works closely with the leadership
teams at all three state colleges, and also works as a liaison to the K-12 system. This design has
dramatically improved connections between the K-12 system and higher education.
In 2016, the Rhode Island General Assembly approved legislation that required the higher education
institutions to develop a funding formula that relied on outcomes-based funding (OBF). When that
legislation was approved, CCRI President Meghan Hughes convened a committee of faculty and staff to
develop the metrics by which the performance of the college would be measured. CCRI’s OBF metrics
reflect the college’s student-centered success plan that includes goals for completion and focus on
graduating students in high-demand, high-wage degrees and certificates in order to obtain quality jobs
and/or transfer successfully and complete a bachelor’s degree. The metrics serve as key performance
indicators for our strategic plan. In preparing for the FY ‘19 budget, it became clear that creating a
connection between a funding formula, performance metrics, and the realities of the state budget process

would be challenging. Last year, the college requested an additional $3.4M in its budget submission to
the CPE. During the budget considerations, the CPE, in an effort to begin to implement a funding formula
and create a baseline, reduced each institution’s budget request with a commitment to additional regular
funding in the following years in order to eventually bring funding levels to FY ‘09 levels (the year higher
education budgets were greatly reduced due to the Great Recession). The resulting submission of the
budget to the governor included only an additional $2.3M for CCRI and funding reduction was not tied to
performance indicators.

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Subsequently, CCRI’s budget increase in the governor’s budget for CCRI was further reduced to $1M.
The Rhode Island General Assembly approved this modest increase in June 2018. The unpredictability of
this budgeting process has led to a discussion with the governor’s office about restructuring the process.
This discussion is in its nascent stages.

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RESPONSE: ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING AND IMPROVEMENTS IN QUALITY
Please see the Reflective Essay on Educational Effectiveness (Standard Eight) for a response to this area
of special emphasis.

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STANDARD ONE: MISSION AND PURPOSES
Since CCRI completed its decennial self-study in 2014, significant leadership changes have taken place
at the college. In February 2016, Dr. Meghan Hughes became the fifth president in the college’s history.
President Hughes highlighted a student-centered agenda that would include access, retention, completion,
transfer, or quality employment upon graduation. With these goals in mind, President Hughes facilitated
the development of a new three-year strategic plan that incorporated input from all sectors of the college.
As a first step in the process of developing the strategic plan beginning in March 2017, facilitated
listening and learning sessions were conducted with the college community. These sessions included a
review of the college mission statement. Feedback from the forums supported the appropriateness and
satisfaction with the current mission statement, which is as follows:


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“...our primary mission is to offer recent high school graduates and returning adults the opportunity
to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for intellectual, professional, and personal growth
through an array of academic, career, and lifelong learning programs. We meet the wide-ranging
educational needs of our diverse student population, building on our rich tradition of excellence in
teaching and our dedication to all students with the ability and motivation to succeed. We set high
academic standards necessary for transfer and career success, champion diversity, respond to
community needs, and contribute to our state’s economic development and the region’s
workforce.”

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As a result of the strategic planning process, the college created a new strategic plan anchored around
three key goals that are reflective of the college mission. The three goals are listed below:

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GOAL 1: Enhance Student Success and Completion
GOAL 2: Expand Partnerships and Programs

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GOAL 3: Strengthen Institutional Effectiveness
As the college develops strategies to accomplish its goals, the college mission is forefront. Decisions made
by the college are based on the relevance to the mission and the goals of the strategic plan. Recent work
in the area of transfer has highlighted CCRI’s mission as it relates to those of the other Rhode Island public
institutions of higher education. In addition, our focus on faculty development supports our commitment
to excellence in teaching (see standard 6) and high academic standards (standard 4). The college plans to
survey the community over the next year as to the continued applicability of the mission.

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STANDARD TWO: PLANNING AND EVALUATION
PLANNING
New internal and external realities have required CCRI to build upon the successes of the 2013-16
Strategic Plan and fast-track the development of a new planning process, set in the context of the Rhode
Island Council on Postsecondary Education’s priorities.

The 2018-21 Strategic Plan is a blueprint providing both flexible and realistic short- and long-term
strategic directions and tactics for CCRI. This plan strives to reflect the financial position and viability
outcomes identified over a yearlong inclusive planning process. Paulien & Associates, a higher education
planning firm, was commissioned to facilitate broad participation and a practical and data-informed
approach to planning and goal setting in a time of economic and demographic challenges.

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The planning process was inclusive and transparent as represented by faculty, staff, and student
participation in six open forums, engagement of a 30+ member Strategic Planning Committee and 20+
member Faculty Advisory Committee, and active participation of our Foundation Board, alumni, and
business representatives. The President’s Council, a body representing all professional employees and the
Council on Postsecondary Education, Rhode Island’s legal entity for public higher education,
unanimously endorsed the 2018-21 Strategic Plan in January of 2018.

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The result is our 2018-21 Strategic Plan (see Appendix) that guides CCRI in actualizing its mission and
vision and informs staffing, budget, technology, and enrollment goals. The CCRI community is regularly
updated on goal progress and planning adaptations through the President’s Council Reports, a dedicated
planning website, and semester opening and town hall meetings. The operationalization of the strategic
goals and plan monitoring is integrated into day-to-day operations, employee performance evaluations,

and academic and administrative departmental reports. The Strategic Metrics dashboard (see Appendix)
supports the assessment of the plan’s goals and our early results are promising.

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CCRI has hired the nationally-regarded architecture and planning firm of Goody Clancy to help facilitate
college-wide discussions and assist the college in creating a formal facilities Master Plan that aligns with
our new strategic plan. Throughout 2018, the Goody Clancy team engaged in conversations with students,
faculty, and staff at each CCRI campus and hosted monthly meetings with a newly-created Facilities
Master Planning Task Force. Working collaboratively, CCRI has prioritized an examination of the
physical Student Services operations at our Knight Campus in Warwick and will advance that work in
2019. Other areas of focus are our classrooms to improve learning outcomes and our auxiliary services.
EVALUATION
While CCRI has moved forward on its strategic planning, the ongoing assessment and evaluation of
academic and student programs has also emerged and been strengthened. The position of Director of
Academic Program Review and Accreditation was created and filled in July of 2018. The mechanisms
and methods for periodically and systematically evaluating college academic programs and assessing

student learning include an updated Academic Program Review process for non-externally accredited
programs, a new online Annual Academic Program Report, and the self-study process which is required
of all externally accredited programs at CCRI (refer to Standard Eight for details). Additionally, over the
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last year, CCRI has retooled the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment with the hiring of a new
Director in March of 2018. The office has a core focus on students that intentionally grounds all research
initiatives and reports in a student-focused perspective. The Office has a renewed emphasis on decision
support and counsel in responding to essential questions from the Senior Leadership Team. The office
compiled most of the statistical information reported in the Data First Forms and assisted in the analysis
and interpretation of the data.
CCRI is now embarking on a resource allocation initiative that will balance cost efficiency and academic
quality to avoid imbalances in resources across academic units. In July 2018, CCRI joined the National
Community College Cost and Productivity Project to guide academic planning and assessment with
benchmarking information about instructional costs, instructor workloads, and faculty requirements. As
this information becomes available, it will be used to inform academic staffing plans, program
improvements, and requirements for new programs. Also, CCRI has linked all performance-based funding
metrics to the new strategic plan to help monitor progress in advancing student success and institutional
effectiveness. These metrics are front and center in the day-to-day work to dramatically increase the
number of students graduating from the college.

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The college is pleased to report that in just two academic years, it has achieved its highest 3-year
graduation rate (19%) in nearly 20 years. The college also awarded more college credentials (2,133) last
year than in the last two decades. The initial progress made with our student success initiatives, which
include Multiple Measures Course Placements, an English Accelerated Learning Program, the Math
Curriculum Redesign, and the Master Schedule, is reflected in CCRI’s performance-based funding results
(see tables below). CCRI continues to be committed to quickly adopting evidence-based practices such as
Guided Pathways, Starfish Student Success solution, and Signal Vine two-way texting platform that will
enable CCRI to better serve students and our state.

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Category 1: Graduation and Completion

Metric
% first-time, full-time cohort graduating in 2 years
% first-time, full-time cohort graduating in 3 years
% first-time, part-time cohort earning 12+ credits first year


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5-year
Average*
4%
15%
44%

2017-18
Actual
6%
19%
46%

2020-21
Target
14%
29%
55%

5-year
Average*
1,984
98%

54%

2017-18
Actual
2,133
96%
56%

2020-21
Target
2,809
98%
59%

*Baseline statistics are calculated using the five previous student cohorts.

Category 2: Workforce Development
Metrics
Total certificates and associate degrees awarded
% high-demand, high-wage certificates awarded
% high-demand, high-wage associate degrees awarded
*Baseline statistics are calculated using the five previous student cohorts.

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Category 3: Mission-specific
Metrics

% of transfer-out students earning certificate or associate degree
before transfer
% of cohort completing gateway college-level math with C or
better in first year
% of cohort completing gateway college-level English with C or
better in first year

5-year
Average*

2017-18
Actual

2020-21
Target

22%

27%

34%

13%

18%

24%

29%


43%

41%

*Baseline statistics are calculated using the five previous student cohorts.

In the table below, the performance-based funding metrics outcomes show incremental improvements
across all graduation and completion metrics for low-income students (i.e., Pell) and students of color.
Core to institutional strategy is fostering a student-centered culture with equity at the center of all work.
A culture taskforce is working to strengthen hiring processes and tools, engage the college community in
its efforts, and develop a set of guiding principles that promote a positive working environment.
Furthermore, the college recognizes that one of the ways to support our students is by bringing more
diversity to our faculty and staff. CCRI is engaged in a continuous data inquiry process that promotes
reflection and ongoing monitoring of success gaps to ensure equity practices are embedded in all student
success activities
Category 1 Equity: Graduation and Completion
Metrics
% first-time, full-time cohort graduating in 2
years
% first-time, full-time cohort graduating in 3
years
% first-time, part-time cohort earning 12+
credits in the first year

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Pell
Students of color
Pell
Students of color
Pell
Students of color

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5-year
Average*

3%
2%
12%
8%
46%
45%

2017-18
Actual
4%
2%
15%
14%
52%
50%

2020-21
Target
13%
11%
23%
22%
58%
57%

In the Spring of 2018, CCRI launched its first comprehensive student experience survey designed to gather
feedback from continuing students on their academic, co-curricular, administrative, and overall
experiences at CCRI. Senior Leadership Team along with other institution leaders are reviewing their
respective survey question and results, addressing areas where there can be improvement.


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STANDARD THREE: ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNANCE
Since President Hughes took office in 2016, she has assembled a new Senior Leadership Team. The new
team was formed systematically as President Hughes discovered the resources needed to increase student
success in significant and measurable ways. The leadership team is organized as follows:
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Vice President of Academic Affairs
Vice President of Finance and Strategy
Vice President of Student Affairs/Chief Outcomes Officer
Vice President of Workforce Partnerships
Associate Vice President of Administration
Associate Vice President of Institutional Equity and Human Resources
Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement

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Each new team member brings a wealth of experience, with many having worked at other colleges and
universities, non-profits and businesses. The Senior Leadership Team meets weekly to set direction for
the college’s major initiatives, to build and review budgets, and to be briefed on the status of major capital
projects. They also meet for a half day or full day retreat quarterly.

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The team has made some structural and personnel changes to meet the needs of faculty and staff. For an
example, in response to concerns expressed by faculty and staff that the administration of academics and
student affairs had become centralized at our campus in Warwick, the college relocated the associate vice
president for student affairs and two academic deans to the Flanagan and Liston campuses to provide daily
leadership and to strengthen communication among our campuses. To provide a clearer understanding of
the college’s commitment to employment and training, the center for workforce and community education
(CWCE) became the division of workforce partnerships. With an emphasis on establishing employer
partnerships, the division will focus on creating demand-driven workforce programs in addition to
continuing many of the instrumental programs and services previously offered by CWCE.

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The college has reinvigorated its internal governance. When President Hughes began her tenure, many of
the governance committees were sparsely populated and rarely met. After two and a half years, the
governance committees are populated and operational. Amendments that placed two student
representatives as well as the president of our faculty union (or designee) on each committee were
approved by the college community. In addition, the Chairs’ Council, a working group comprised of all
department chairs and academic administration, was voted into the governance structure. With this
engagement, the Governance Exploratory Committee was also populated. This committee is charged with
exploring and potentially making recommendations for a different governance structure. Their work will
continue through the academic year 2018-2019.

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The college governing board structure is described in the “special emphasis” section of this document.
The college is grateful the CPE understands the mission of CCRI in comparison to our sister public
institutions. Since CCRI is an open access college, this deep understanding from the governing board is
critical to the college’s success in achieving its mission. An example of this understanding is evidenced
by the CPE’s support for the RI Promise program which, when passed by the Rhode Island Legislature in
August 2017, made CCRI tuition-free for first-time, full-time Rhode Island high school graduates. With
the grade point average requirements for eligibility in this program, along with an increased amount of
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student support, the college expects to see significant increases in our two-year and three-year graduation

rates.

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CCRI Interim Fifth Year Report Draft


STANDARD FOUR: THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Area of Special Emphasis (Notification Letter from CIHE): In its letter of December 2, 2014, the
Commission specified that in the interim fifth-year report the College give emphasis to its success in
continuing to implement a comprehensive approach to the assessment of student learning and using the
results for improvement. This area of special emphasis is addressed throughout Standard Eight:
Educational Effectiveness.
The college’s division of academic affairs is comprised of four academic divisions, three of which are
responsible for the college’s associate degree and certificate programs. The divisions are as follows:
Health and Rehabilitative Services (HARS); Business, Science, Technology, and Math; Arts, Humanities,
and Social Sciences; and Learning Resources. The Office of the Dean of Learning Resources supports the
work of faculty and student learning in these areas by providing library services and credit-bearing, skills
development courses for undergraduates.

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E

In the fall of 2018, the overall student enrollment at CCRI was 14,539; 91% were seeking associate
degrees, while 4% were pursuing certificates and 5% were non-matriculated. While enrollment has
declined overall by 1,656 students or 10% since 2015, the number of full-time students has increased by
19%, largely due to the implementation of the Rhode Island Promise in fall, 2017. The number of students
enrolling in online courses has increased even more dramatically. From fall, 2014 to fall, 2018, online
course enrollment increased from 406 to 934 students, or by 130%. Nonetheless, there are net enrollment
declines of 8% and 11% in the associate degree and certificate programs, respectively, since 2015.


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To enhance students’ likelihood of timely graduation and program completion, CCRI has provided greater
flexibility for earning credits and completing required coursework in associate degree and certificate
programs. In January, the college is scheduled to launch its first Winter Session in more than 30 years. It
continues to support faculty in developing accelerated course offerings and strives to institutionalize a 12month, year-round academic calendar. In summer, 2018, CCRI expanded the number of course offering
by 24% and increased summer enrollment by 9% compared to 2017.

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UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

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The Major or Concentration – Updates
The changes and additions to the college’s academic divisions since the last NECHE self-study, which
were in response to identified community and institutional needs and data driven departmental outcomes,
are described and summarized below.
Division of Business, Science, Technology, and Math (BSTM)
As noted in the last Self-Study, CCRI was approved by NECHE in 2009 to offer online degree programs
as a complement to the online courses it has offered for nearly 20 years, with over 250 online courses
being offered each term currently. In the spring of 2019, the college will launch its first fully online
program – an Associates in Business Administration with a concentration in General Business. Faculty
teaching online must demonstrate that they are familiar with strong online teaching practices and the
Blackboard Learn LMS. CCRI supports faculty through regularly offered online pedagogy classes and
workshops in various Blackboard Learn tools. Individual consultations with instructional designers and
technologists are also encouraged. The new online program will formally become a part of the

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CCRI Interim Fifth Year Report Draft


accreditation process when the existing Business Administration degree submits its Quality Assurance
Report to the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) in the fall of 2018.
Other changes and additions within BSTM include: The Computer and Networking Technology degree
and its concentrations were moved from the Dept. of Engineering and Technology to the Dept. of
Computer Studies & Information Processing; a merger was completed between the Dept. of Business
Administration and the Dept. of Administrative Office Technology, forming the Dept. of Business and
Professional Studies; and the Dept. of Mathematics was moved into the division with the departments of
business, science, and technology.
New associate degree programs and certificates were added to BSTM as well: two new associate degrees
to the division include Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Cybersecurity, and three certificates –
Advanced Manufacturing Machining, Manufacturing Automation and Quality, and Manufacturing Design

and Rapid Prototyping.

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Division of Health and Rehabilitative Sciences (HARS)
The Dept. of Nursing submitted a substantive change report to the Accreditation Commission for
Education in Nursing (ACEN) to add an LPN to RN option within the associate degree in Nursing. If
approved, this option will allow licensed practical nurses to continue their education, earn an associate
degree in Nursing, and ultimately become a registered nurse after passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Other
additions include a Public Health Dental Hygienist certificate, which was created for practicing dental
hygienists to address a newly enacted Rhode Island state law; a Computerized Tomography Imaging
certificate in anticipation of new requirements by the states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts for CT
technicians; and a Health Care Interpreter certificate.

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Division of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (AHSS)
The Dept. Of English has added a Communication and Film/Media Arts associate degree and a New Media
Communication certificate to its curriculum, while the Dept. of Human Services has added a certificate in
Gerontology.

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Guided Pathways
Guided Pathways has been identified as best-practice in assisting students in earlier selection of majors
keep on track to graduation. In the Spring 2017, the college engaged the consulting services of the National
Center for Inquiry and Improvement, led by Dr. Robert Johnstone, and initiated the first of six visits to
the college in order to facilitate the development and implementation of a Guided Pathways model for
CCRI. In between Dr. Johnstone’s visits, faculty and staff engaged in monthly meetings to create a model
program that included sequence maps, onboarding processes, student supports, developmental education
ramps, and financial stability supports. A full-time program director was appointed to lead the pathways
initiative and coordinate associated supports from across all divisions of the college. Through a transparent
and inclusive process, a design model was approved and adopted by the Guided Pathways Task Force.
This model reflects a similar design utilized by the University of Rhode Island, which will provide a
foundation for improved transfer between the institutions.

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In the Fall 2018, incoming students were provided the opportunity to choose a pathway from one of seven
academic and career paths:
1. Arts and Humanities
2. Business, Economics, and Data Analytics
3. Communication, Media, and Film
4. Education, Government, and Human Services
5. Environment and Sustainability
6. Health and Health Administration
7. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Paths are clusters of related programs and certificates, including career and transfer degrees. A comprehensive
website (www.ccri.edu/pathways) was launched, providing students with overviews of each path and enabling
them to explore sequences, job outlook, program listings, and links to transfer agreements and labor statistics.
Faculty, advising, admissions, and student services are now using this information to serve students. Program
maps were developed by faculty groups during the 2017-18 academic year. This process provided an
opportunity to confirm the currency of each program’s curriculum and ensure accuracy in publications.

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CCRI is currently working with Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island to develop seamless
transfer pathways, starting with the top five transfer majors (Business, Computer Science, Justice Studies,
Nursing and Psychology). Nursing, in 2015, formed the Nursing Education Partnership with the University of
Rhode Island College of Nursing where CCRI associate degree graduates are automatically accepted into the
RN-BSN online completion program. To date, more than 120 CCRI graduates have completed their BSN
through this alliance.


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In order to raise awareness of the Guided Pathway Initiative (GPI), path-focused events have been held on
each campus, with the goal of building community within each path and supporting student retention and
completion. In addition, a comprehensive review of all student onboarding practices and a new Path Navigator
program, that partners faculty and advisors, is underway.

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General Education
In an effort to assess graduates’ acquisition of the four abilities of the “Educated Person” described below
and again in Standard Eight in detail, CCRI joined the Multi-State Collaborative Project to Advance

Learning Outcomes Assessment in 2014-2015. This year, CCRI collected student work from across the
college for purposes of assessing two abilities – effective communication and quantitative, mathematical,
and scientific reasoning. The artifacts were submitted to the consortium for evaluation by faculty raters
external to CCRI, and the results were used over the next two years to target identified weaknesses in
student performance on both outcomes. A college-wide initiative was undertaken in 2016-2017 to enhance
student written communication while a parallel initiative was implemented in 2017-2018 to strengthen
quantitative literacy. In the spring of 2018, student work was submitted for evaluation through the
consortium to assess student acquisition of the three outcomes: critical thinking, written communication,
and quantitative literacy. Currently, the data is being examined and appraised to identify students’
strengths and areas for improvement.

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ASSURING ACADEMIC QUALITY
Academic Oversight and Shared Governance
CCRI maintains administrative oversight for the academic elements of all courses through the Offices of
the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Vice President for Student Affairs and Chief Outcomes
Officer, working closely with shared governance committees, including the Program-Based Review and
Assessment Committee, the Academic Advisory Committee, and the Distance Learning Committee.
To adequately address the demands for evidence-based decision-making, improve program quality, and
build a comprehensive approach to the assessment of student learning, the college recently created and
filled new positions in Academic Affairs. The division is led by the vice president and is supported by a
newly-hired associate vice president (2018). In 2016, the director of dual and concurrent enrollment and
CTE initiatives was hired. In 2017-2018, assistant dean positions were created to support academic
initiatives: assistant dean of nursing; assistant dean of business, science, technology, and math; and
assistant dean of arts, humanities, and social sciences.


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In the previous 15 months, the following positions were added to support efforts to enhance student
learning, strengthen the culture of assessment, and use assessment findings to improve program quality.
To further support a data-driven decision-making environment, several positions have been added to the
Office of Academic Affairs. In 2017 the Office of Institutional Research was reorganized with the creation
of a new director of institutional research and assessment position, as well as a research analyst. These
positions have enabled us to generate daily tracking information on student enrollment, performance
reports related barrier courses and introduce Qualtrics survey software to obtain student, staff, and faculty
feedback. In addition to the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment expansion, the college added
the position of director of academic program review and accreditation (2018). This position is assisting
with implementation of automated assessment software, course assessment templates and designing
improvements to the Academic Program Review process. Finally, the college recognized that with the
expansion of online learning there was a need for a director who could also support instructional design
needs, provide quality improvement strategies for measurement of outcomes and improve the overall
quality of course delivery. In August of 2017 a director of instructional technology & online learning was
added to the staff in the Office of Academic Affairs and expanded this fall with the addition of another
full-time instructional design position.

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Over the past two years the college has offered incentivized retirement packages. As a result, two deans
are retiring in December, 2018. Two searches are underway: one for a pre-existing vacancy in the position
of dean of arts, humanities, and social sciences, and one for the dean of health and rehabilitative sciences,
who will retire in December, 2018. Currently, a highly qualified interim dean for arts, humanities and
social sciences is in place. Transition plans are also underway for the dean of learning resources, who will
retire in December, 2018.
Curriculum Review Committee (CRC)
All proposals for new programs and courses are submitted to the College’s Curriculum Review Committee
for approval prior to becoming a formal part of the curriculum. The committee, comprised of
representatives from faculty and academic administration, review (1) proposals for new programs and
courses, (2) the alignment between proposed courses and the four abilities of CCRI’s "educated person",
(3) proposed revisions to course learning outcomes and assessment methods, and (4) changes in credit
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CCRI Interim Fifth Year Report Draft



hours, course descriptions, and title changes. Proposals approved by the committee are subsequently
presented to the vice president for academic affairs and the president for final review and approval, and
ultimately submitted to the Rhode Island Board of Education.
Since 2014, the Curriculum Review Committee has approved the curriculum proposals for three new
associate degree programs, six new certificate programs, 68 new courses, and 10 experimental courses as
well as revisions to 34 degree programs, 12 certificates, and approximately 225 existing courses. Of the
revisions made to programs and certificates, 72% were considered substantive as they required changes
to either program credits or content, while 38% of the changes to courses involved substantive changes to
either course content or learning outcomes. Additionally, one degree and one certificate program were
suspended. The results of the CRC’s work since 2014 is summarized in the following tables:
Types and Number of Curriculum Revisions (2014-2018)
Type of Proposal
Degrees
Cert.
Courses
New Proposals
3
6
68*
Revisions
34
12
225

Percentage of Substantive Revisions
Revision to:
Substantive%
Programs/Certificates
72%

Courses
38%

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Note: Figures reflect proposals presented and approved during Curriculum Review Committee meetings from 2/14/14 to 10/19/2018. *Ten of these courses
were approved as experimental courses.

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Currently, the Curriculum Review Committee is reviewing proposed changes to the Engineering Transfer
Program. The purpose of the proposal is to align the transfer tracks with the recent changes to the
University of Rhode Island’s Engineering degree program and ensure a seamless transfer for CCRI
graduates into URI’s program as third year students. Also, the CRC is reviewing substantive program
changes to the Medical Laboratory Technology program, which are designed to better align it with
technological advances in the field and reduce the total number of program credits required for completion.
The number of curriculum changes is a result of the continued assessment efforts of the college’s courses
and programs.

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General Education Committee
In the fall of 2011, members of the General Education Committee (GEC) worked to define what it means
to be an “educated person” in terms of four abilities that all CCRI graduates should possess as educated
women and men: effective communication; critical thinking; quantitative, mathematical, and scientific
reasoning; and social interaction. In fall, 2018, the committee presented an updated version of the
“educated person,” whereby the four abilities remained intact but the requisite skills that comprise them
were re-conceptualized and aligned with several of the American Association of Colleges and Universities
(AAC&U) VALUE Rubrics and their corresponding fundamental criteria. Consequently, the revised
definition of the "educated person” makes it possible for faculty from across the college to assess students’
four abilities through courses offered within the traditional domains of knowledge: arts and humanities,
the sciences and mathematics, and the social sciences.

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Presently, the General Education Committee has a tangential relationship to the curriculum proposal
process, which is largely relegated to the Curriculum Review Committee. However, the General Education
Committee is proposing changes for greater involvement in those processes for assuring academic quality,
more specifically:

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





Formalizing the review process for courses proposed as belonging to the general education core
and establishing the standards that must be met for new and existing courses to be designated as
belonging to the core.
Assimilating the General Education Committee into the review of existing general education
courses and new course proposals.
Developing a plan and approach for the assessment of general education outcomes.
Maintaining ongoing and periodic discussions with colleagues from Rhode Island College and the
University of Rhode Island to enhance the transferability of general education courses across all
three institutions.

Quality of the Academic Programs
Fourteen of the college’s associate degree programs and concentrations, one certificate program, and the
Practical Nursing diploma are accredited by external agencies, while the remaining 19 academic programs
and concentrations are scheduled for review by the Program Based Review and Assessment Committee
through the Academic Program Review (APR). In 2017, CCRI shifted some of its most important
outcomes assessment and accreditation related activities from the current five-year APR cycle to an annual
cycle or the Annual Academic Program Report. Thus, academic programs can respond more quickly to
programmatic shortcomings identified by their outcomes assessment findings as well as weaknesses
identified through the assessment process overall. For spring, 2019, the online AAPR platform will add
enhancements to improve its efforts for “assessing student learning outcomes and using the results for

improvement.” Standard Eight describes these processes in detail.

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INTEGRITY IN THE AWARD OF ACADEMIC CREDIT

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Academic Honesty
The catalog has a statement on plagiarism and the student handbook defines and outlines consequences
for offenses. Faculty are required to include an academic integrity statement in the syllabus referencing
the handbook and are encouraged to add additional information appropriate to their course, discipline, and
modality. The Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs and Chief Outcomes Officer facilitates a
process for reporting concerns about academic dishonesty and pursuing additional discipline outside the
confines of the course.


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Additional institutional support for faculty in preventing or detecting academic dishonesty includes
technical resources in Blackboard Learn (SafeAssign, Respondus LockDown Browser, Respondus
Monitor — available as of Fall 2018) and professional development. For example, the online teaching
practice course, required for all faculty interested in teaching online, includes pedagogical strategies for
reducing motivation for academic dishonesty and opportunities for academic dishonesty within the course.
CCRI confirms that the student who registers for such a course or program is the same student who
participates in and completes the program by issuing unique usernames and passwords to access course
materials. Faculty are encouraged to implement various methods to ensure the integrity of online testing
using technical (delay release of score until availability period ends, prohibit copying and/or printing;
randomizing test questions and/or responses, limiting time, forcing completion in one sitting) and teaching
(multiple points of assessment, variety of assessment, personalized/authentic assignments) strategies.
CCRI is introducing remote, automated proctoring (Respondus Monitor) through Blackboard Learn in the
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Fall 2018. Monitor allows for identity validation, environment checking and video recording of test-taking
in addition to the LockDown browser features.
Transfer Credit
To improve transfer among the three state colleges the office of the postsecondary commissioner, in

collaboration with representatives from each school, modified the existing transfer policy for the state.
The policy was approved by the CPE in June 2017. Specifically, the policy supports the transfer of credit
by examination and following established guidelines for extra-institutional credit. In addition, students
graduating with an AA, AFA or AS and a 2.4 GPA will be guaranteed admission in to University of Rhode
Island and Rhode Island College automatically. Programs with secondary admission processes may
require higher GPA standards and benchmarked courses. The updated policy includes a commitment that
CCRI transfer students will be treated as native students in the receiving institution and should not be
required to repeat coursework. Students who graduate with the Associate of Arts, Associate of Fine Arts
and Associate of Science degrees that are designated as transfer degrees will earn sixty (60) credits that
transfer and apply to a baccalaureate degree program, thereby, enabling them to transfer with junior status.
The policy directs that the five top transferring majors have seamless pathways developed.

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During the past three years, CCRI, RIC, and URI have met routinely to discuss ways to improve transfer,
including reforming general education, that enable students to move freely between institutions. The
University of Rhode Island implemented an outcome-focused approach to their general education program
based upon AAC&U’s LEAP model and CCRI is in the process of modeling that approach to further
enhance transfer options for our students.

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Each year all three schools meet to review program and course articulation agreements. CCRI hosted this
year’s articulation meeting for the first time and it was very successful. As the largest feeder school to
both URI and RIC, it is most appropriate that CCRI lead the way in ensuring transferability and
applicability of credits on behalf of our students.

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N

In January, 2019 the OPC will host an R.I. Transfer Summit facilitated by members of the Community
College Research Center located at Columbia University. Stakeholders from around the state, as well as
academic leaders and faculty, will gather to hear experts provide an update on national best-practices as
they relate to transfer and embark on individually facilitated teams to formalize top five pathways.

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In addition to several transfer articulations with private colleges and universities, CCRI has articulations
with area high schools. All high school articulations are being comprehensively evaluated during the 20182019 academic year. Articulations will be valid for three years and evaluation will be required before they
are renewed. To assure this is happening, all articulation time frames will be the same.
Concurrent Enrollment
The purpose of CCRI’s concurrent enrollment courses, offered through the STEM Connect Program, are

to improve the transition between secondary and postsecondary education, provide the opportunity to
encourage college-level learning for career and technical education students, and to increase interest in
the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. This corresponds with the educational objectives
of the college to provide affordable access to higher education throughout the state. By using the same
student rating of instruction, textbook, and learning outcomes under the direction of a faculty mentor and
program director, these courses maintain the same academic standards as those offered on campus. High
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school instructors teaching concurrent enrollment courses receive professional development opportunities
through auditing college-level classes and the annual availability of professional development workshops.
Students in concurrent enrollment classes have access to CCRI academic resources, including the library,
tutoring, student success workshops, career planning, and disability services. Faculty and students receive
sufficient support for instructional and other needs. Similarly, CCRI online education courses broaden
access to higher education. CCRI faculty build and teach their own online courses, using the same syllabus
and learning outcomes as on-campus courses. Online courses are predominantly taught by full-time
faculty. Students in online programs and courses have access to all the same resources available to CCRI
students, including electronic library resources and web-based student success and technical support
resources.
Also, the college retains responsibility for the design, content, and delivery of its concurrent enrollment
courses through a variety of methods which include the following: oversight by the director of concurrent
enrollment and related career and technical education initiatives; the use of faculty mentors working in
partnership with secondary school instructors in the development of course content, instructional
methodology, and assessments; and the maintenance of the same course prerequisites, college-level
textbooks, and student ratings of instruction for both college courses taught on campus and in the high
school. Following an update in the state’s Dual Enrollment regulations in 2018, CCRI is planning to
expand the academic oversight of concurrent enrollment courses through annual observation visits by
faculty mentors.


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Alternative Modalities and Concentrated Time Periods
CCRI expects the knowledge, understanding, and skills acquired by students in courses offered through
alternative modalities (e.g., classroom vs. online) or abbreviated or concentrated time periods will be
equivalent to those acquired in traditionally delivered courses. The college works to ensure that
equivalency is achieved by providing instructional design support throughout the course development
process and by comparing student performance for alternative modalities and time periods. For example,
the academic performance of students in alternatively-delivered courses can be compared, as can the
performance of students in post-requisite courses, based on the delivery method employed in their
prerequisites (e.g., fall vs. summer term).

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STANDARD FIVE: STUDENTS
The division of student affairs encompasses programs and services related to advising/counseling, student
support, and enrollment management. To focus on student outcomes, in 2016 President Hughes created
the position of vice president of student affairs and chief outcomes officer. This position has increased the
division’s ability to obtain and utilize data to determine the effectiveness of student and academic services
as they relate to student completion.
Information about student services is available to all students through various print and digital media,
including online orientation. While use of printed material is declining, all services are well-represented
on the web. There is an increasing focus on data review and analysis to inform student outreach initiatives,
including a structured use of targeted social media, e-mails, and texting to communicate with students.
All new students have access to an online orientation module that highlights student services, expectations,
and opportunities at the community college. The Division of Student Affairs offers a robust programming
agenda across all four campuses throughout the academic year. In the academic year 2017-18, over 317
events, activities, or trips for students were held.

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L

N
O
E

As college enrollment numbers continue to decline nationally, in large part due to decreasing
unemployment rates and the shifting of U.S demographics, CCRI is experiencing an enrollment downtrend
that aligns with the national landscape. From Fall 2017 to Fall 2018, overall enrollment declined 1.48%.
However, there was an increase of 4.4% in FTE, a result of the RI Promise Scholarship Program initiative,
detailed below, which requires students to maintain a full-time course load.

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Fall Enrollments from 2011 through 2018
Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013 Fall 2014
17,893
17,884
17,699
17,553

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A


Fall 2015
16,195

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U

Fall 2016
15,101

Fall 2017
14,758

Fall 2018
14,539

In July of 2017, the General Assembly created the RI Promise Scholarship, which allows recent Rhode
Island high school graduates to enroll in an associate degree at CCRI tuition-free. The program resulted
in a 43% increase in the number of first-time, full-time students enrolled in the fall, 2017 term and a 47%
increase in fall, 2018. Retention has been positively impacted, as 62% of our Promise students returned in
fall, 2018, which aligns with national tuition-free program goals. Completion timelines will be positively
affected, as students earning 30 college-level credits in their first year achieved a 22% rate, compared with
the previous 6% rate, representing nearly double the national average.

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With the filling of the dean of enrollment management position in the summer of 2018 after years of
vacancy, new leadership is evaluating the efficacy of our systems. To determine and address processes

that need to be implemented or modified, identified in ongoing gap analysis, a strategic enrollment
management team consisting of staff leadership from both Divisions of Academic and Student Affairs
was formed in October, 2018. In addition to the focus on increasing enrollment of recent high school
graduates, recruitment and onboarding adult student population efforts are underway. The Office of
Enrollment Services is actively engaging in targeted outreach to inform students of their progress toward
degree completion, as well as informing students who may be eligible for reverse transfer, to increase
enrollment as well as degree completion.

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CCRI provides an affordable and accessible education through the availability of financial aid. Over 63%
of degree-seeking students receive some form of federal, state or institutional grant, scholarship, work or
loan funding. The Rhode Island Promise program yielded an 80% increase in state grant funding, which
in combination with other sources of financial assistance, allows students with the most financial need to
enroll without out-of-pocket contribution.
Financial aid is administered in a highly automated environment, resulting in an efficient process that
seldom presents enrollment delays. Efforts are made to assist students with the complex federal
verification process, and recent initiatives are being introduced to provide more direct outreach and
support to students completing these steps. Full-service financial aid offices are present at three of the four
CCRI campuses, and timely messaging and consumer information is communicated to students through
the MyCCRI portal and the Financial Aid webpage. Students may seek part-time jobs through both the
federal work-study and the institutional student employment program. Positions are available both on and
off-campus in community service agencies.

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O
E

Students who lose financial aid eligibility due to a lack of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) may
complete an appeal with an academic advisor. Connecting students who are academically at-risk with the
Office of Advising and Counseling provides a direct connection to support services and allows for a
holistic approach to the appeal and reinstatement process. The use of the DegreeWorks degree audit
software allows students and advisors to more closely monitor progress toward degree completion and
identify students who are not in compliance with the 150% SAP standard.

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A

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In April 2015, the Board of Education adopted regulations that provide all qualified Rhode Island high
school students access to college level coursework while still in high school. Through the Governor’s
Prepare RI Dual Enrollment Fund, dual enrollment has increased from 357 students (dual/concurrent
combined) in Fall 2015 to 462 students in fall, 2017 and to 510 in fall, 2018. A collaborative relationship
between the high schools, the Divisions of Student Affairs and Academic Affairs assures high school
students are receiving the support necessary to be successful in college-level coursework.

F
A
R
D


I
T

E
T
N

Academic support services are provided primarily by the Student Success Centers in centralized centers
and embedded tutors in classrooms and labs. The centers offer peer and para-professional tutoring (in most
subjects), test preparation, study skills, and academic coaching. The Writing Centers assist students in
developing strong writing skills and are present on the three largest campuses.
The Office of Advising and Counseling offers short-term personal counseling to all enrolled students on
all four campuses. For online learning students who are unable to come to a campus location, the Office
of Advising and Counseling is available to assist students through the referral process for personal
counseling. Since 2015, the college increased resources for hiring additional full-time advisors. By the
end of fall, 2018, there was a total of 29 full-time advisors, the highest number in the history of the college.
This represents a 69% increase in advising staff over the last three years.
In the Fall 2017 semester, CCRI launched the Promise Plus initiative, piloting caseload-based intrusive
advising. Nearly 2,000 students have participated in this program since, which pairs entering low-income,
first-year students with an assigned advisor. The Promise Plus advisors provide their students with a small
group orientation before classes begin and meet with students regularly throughout the year to develop
educational plans, address any challenges and ensure that students stay on track to reaching their goals.
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Given the success seen with this initial pilot, CCRI will be exploring how we can continue to scale this
program to serve additional students, particularly mission-specific populations. To facilitate increased

communication between faculty, tutors, counselors and advisors in service to students who may require
interventions, CCRI will be implementing the Starfish analytics intervention management platform in
2019. Through Starfish, data and information about student experiences throughout the college will be
collected and shared with faculty and staff to varying degrees.
The Department of Athletics is organized as a student services department under the auspices of the
Division of Student Services. Its mission is grounded in the development of the student and places an
emphasis on healthy living and healthy competition. The Department of Athletics fields eleven varsity
teams and one club sport under NJCAA guidelines. In the academic year 2017-18, 126 student-athletes
competed for CCRI. Academic performance of student athletes is monitored by a full-time compliance
officer and four para-professionals who serve as academic coaches. A student athlete handbook details
standards of integrity and ethical play.

Y
L
N
O
E

CCRI has implemented several ongoing initiatives that refine and focus institutional commitment to equal
opportunity and success among its increasingly diverse student population. Progress made toward building
a more inclusive community is evident by revised hiring guidelines resulting in a 28% increase in minority
faculty and staff. The implementation of an employee culture assessment, the creation of new professional
development programs for faculty and staff, and a new strategic plan articulate a commitment to fostering
a culture that promotes transparency, collaboration, respect, and accountability. Beginning in the 2018-19
academic year, CCRI will implement a social services support program to provide on-campus support for
students qualifying for public benefits to assist them in connecting to social service providers and mitigate
the impact of homelessness, food insecurity, and poverty.

E
T

N

N
R

L
A

S
U

Additionally, the college has built data systems that incentivize the identification of equity gaps in student
achievement, persistence, and completion. These reports substantiate the need for additional financial,
personal, and academic supports for students. They have stimulated new creativity and stronger
commitment to ensure easier, meaningful access to higher education. This includes new financial
incentives to support full-time enrollment, the provision of assigned advisors to individual students,
expanded career services, and a redesigned new student orientation.

F
A
R
D

I
T

In 2018, the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment launched a student satisfaction survey for
continuing students as well as an incoming student survey to assess self-perceptions of college readiness.
The Division of Student Affairs has a designated staff member who regularly collaborates with the Office
of Institutional Research and Assessment to analyze and disseminate data throughout the Division of

Student Affairs in support of the college strategic plan with the goal of improving student outcomes.

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CCRI Interim Fifth Year Report Draft